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disney facts

November 25, 1992, Aladdin took us on a magic carpet ride and showed us a whole new world. The story, if you haven’t heard goes like this: A poor street rat named Aladdin spends his time stealing food from the marketplace in the city of Agrabah. The adventure begins when he meets a girl who happens to be a princess running from her father trying to marry her to an acceptable suitor. Aladdin’s luck changes when he finds a magic lamp in the cave of wonders, but like any good story, there’s a twist when the Sultans sinister advisor Jafar has his own plans for both Aladdin and the lamp.

Scott Weinger (Aladdin), Robin Williams (Genie/Peddler), Lina Larkin (Princess Jasmine), Jonathan Freeman (Jafar), Frank Welker (Abu?Cave of wonders/Raja), Gilbert Gottfried (Iago) and so much more magical actors and actresses who bring our favorite and loveable character to life along with the help of the directors Ron Clements and Jon Musker. Disney made two more movies about Aladdin, the sequel being Aladdin The Return of Jafar which came out May 20, 1994, and the third and final movie Aladdin and The King of Thieves came out August 13, 1996.

During the course of recording the voices, Robin Williams improvised so much they had almost sixteen hours of material. Because Robin Williams ad-libbed so many of his lines, the scripts were rejected for the best Adoption Screenplay Academy Award nomination. Originally, Jafar was more hot-tempered, while Iago was a cool haughty British-type. The filmmakers felt having Jafar losing his temper too much made him less menacing so the personalities of the two characters were switched. The film became the 14th (and the first animated) movie to gross more than 200 million dollars. Howard Ashman and Alan Menken originally conceived the opening song “Arabian Nights” to be recurrent throughout the film, acting as narration. The idea was dropped when the visual and storytelling proved strong enough in their own right.

On Jan 17, 2003, Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular became a Broadway-style show that was performed at the Hyperion Theatre in Dinsey California Adventure which sadly ended 13 years later on Jan 10, 2016. It ran approximately 45 minutes seating 2,011, guests. There were 250 costume changes per show, 48 custom scenery change, and about 36 cast members. This was my all-time favorite show because it was truly a spectacular Broadway show that brought extra magic to the park.

Jonathan Freeman, who voiced Jafar, ended up playing the live-action version in the Broadway musical. Aladdin premiered at the 5th avenue theater in Seattle in 2011. In 2012 after several regional and international productions. The musical was given a Toronto tryout in 2013 it opened on Broadway at the New Amsterdam theater on March 20, 2014. There are 337 costumes in the show, over two million Swarovski crystals were used in the costuming. One pair of gold trousers used in “A Friend Like Me” uses 1,428 crystals alone.The cave of wonders where Aladdin first meets the Genie was built for the stage using the same golden material that was used for C-3PO in the Star Wars films. ‘Friend Like Me’ in the 1992 film was two minutes, but on the stage production, it became an eight-minute extravaganza. It takes 75 people to deliver each performance of Aladdin on tour.

Happy Birthday, Aladdin thank you so much for the adventure of love and laughter you bring to me everytime I watch your movie, show or listen to your soundtrack. Whatever way I watch or listen I always feel like I’m on a magic carpet ride.

This Disney classic made its debut Nov. 8, 1973. Alan-a-dale (Roger Miller) an amiable rooster tells stories and sings songs of the heroic Robin hood (Brian Bedford) and his sidekick, Little John (Phil Harris). The animated animal-themed adaption of the legendary story. So here are some fun facts:

Originally friar truck was to be a pig, but changed to a badger to avoid insulting religeous sensibilities.

Terry-Thomas famous gap was incorporated into the design of the character he voiced, Sir Hiss.

Robin Hood was the second Disney Animated feature film with no human characters at all. The being Bambi (1942).

The University of Southern California ‘Fight On’ is played during the chase scene after the archery contest. “On Wisconsin” the fight song of the University of Wisconsin, is also used during the “football” sequence of this scene.

J. Pat O’Malley’s last Disney film, prior to his death 12 years later.

Maid Marian only appears in the film for 30 minutes despite being the main love interest.

It is the first Disney animated feature film to be over 80 minutes since Fantasia (1940).

In honor of Robin Hood being another one of my favorites, I have a tattoo of Robin Hoods arrow. What is your favorite thing about this amazing Disney classic?

Before Walt Disney chose Anaheim, he almost built his park on a 7 acre studio lot in burbank where the park was almost named “Walt Disney’s America.” Disneyland was built on a 160 acre orange grove, displacing more than 12,000 orange trees. Jack and Bill Evans, the landscapers made up for it though by planting more than 40 species of flowers and 700 exotic trees that grow along the Jungle Cruise alone. The iconic Mickey-head topiary contains 10,000 flowers which are replanted 6 times a year!

The Haunted Mansion opened at the Disneyland Resort on August 9, 1969 but has been in development since 1958. The outside of the attraction was completed six years before it opened. In the ballroom you can see the Organ from the 1954 Live-Action film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Eleanor Audley is the voice of Madame Leota, she is also the voice of Maleficent and Lady Tremaine. On the ride you can also find 999 happy haunts, but the newest one is The Hat Box Ghost which was actually there when the ride first opened. Unfortunately due to technical problems he was quickly removed from the ride and then found his way beck home for the Disneyland Resorts 60th anniversary in 2015.

Since 2001 its been Jack Skelingtons tradition to take over the attraction not just for the Halloween season but for the Christmas season as well. Buddy Baker was the master mind behind the song “Grim Grinning Ghost” he also wrote the music for the stuffed with fluff Winnie The Pooh. Someone personally purchased a tombstone inside the Haunted Mansion in 2004, they paid $37,400.

Haunted Mansion Holiday is my ALL TIME FAVORITE!!! I cannot get enough of it and personally i think its better than the original, crazy right? Let me know in the comments below what is your favorite Haunted Mansion, the original or Holiday?

Be with you!!! Happy Star Wars day here are some awesome times Toy Story made some Star Wars references:

Toy Story:

When Buzz first touches down on Andy’s bed you hear Darth Vader’s breathing.

Sid makes a reference when he interrogates Woody he says “Oh! A Surviver! Where is the rebel base? Talk!” than “Where are your rebel friends now?”

When Buzz and Woody are hiding in the truck Buzz tells Woody ” Right now, poised at the edge of the galaxy, Emperor Zurg has been secretly building weapon with the destructive capacity to annihilate an entire planet! I alone have information that reveals the weapons weakness..”

During the Buzz Lightyear commercial when Buzz shoots the laser you hear the Tie Fighter cannon sound.

In the opening scene it shows the space shot with music very similar to the Star Wars title music after the titles. Then you can see Buzz flying by at the end just like after every Star Wars title a ship passes by.

When the camera comes out of a trap door in the wall, its a nod to Jabba the Hutt’s palace camera in the main entrance.

While Buzz is under Lotso’s control, Jessie protests as Lotso says “Silence, minions of Zurg! You’re in the custody of the Galactic Alliance” a tribute to Princess Leia when she says “You are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor. Take her away!”

When Trixie and Rex finish playing their game you can hear the typical Star Wars sounds and two droids…C-3PO and R2-D2 when they flee from the Tontine IV.

When Big Baby Lotso into the dumpster its referencing Darth Vader throwing Emperor Palpatine into the reactor.

I think my favorite Star Ward reference has to be in Toy Story 2 when Zurg tells Buzz 2 he’s his father…i mean in Star Wars and Toy Story its just as amazing! Do you think in Toy Story 4 they will make another Star Wars reference? Let me know in the comments below!

March 18, 1967…50 years ago today Pirates of the Caribbean in Disneyland was born. The last ride Walt Disney personally looked overbore his death in December of 1966 and it was almost a walk through wax museum, but in 1964 since Its A Small World and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln the wax museum was forgotten about, and instead making it a boat ride. Unfortunately Walt passed before it was completed.

There are over 120 audio animatronics on POTC ride, which is a mixture between human and animal.

The film characters added to the ride were all voiced by their original characters. Some of the rides original audio-animatronics are voiced by Paul Free who is also known as the Ghost Host in the Haunted Mansion.

Imagineers thought that fake skeletons were unconvincing so they bought real skeleton from UCLA medical center and used those instead, unfortunately all but one have been removed.

Penelope Cruz was pregnant throughout production but it wasn’t noticeable until September 2010. As Penelope’s baby bump grew it caused difficulties in wardrobe, so the procedures enlisted the help of younger sister Monica Cruz. They filmed Penelope in the up close shots and Monica in the distant scenes.

Johnny Depp bought new water proof jackets for 500 crew members on set to protect them from the weather. He spent a total of $64,200 of his own money.

This was the only POTC movie not to have an Oscar nomination.

As Jack enters the Santiago, the camera flashes to a skeletal Ponce de Leon laying on a bed surrounded by treasure. This refers to the POTC ride in Disneyland where guests see a skeletal pirate captain laying in bed surrounded by treasure.

This installment has the shortest run-time of the “pirates” series which is 136 minutes.

At Worlds End came out May 25, 2007, this is the third movie of the POTC series.

The scene in which Jack the money is shivering was accomplished by special effects and animal training departments. The effect guys made a small vibrating plate to sit on top of the wooden barrel. The animal trainers taught the monkey to sit with her arms crossed on the plate.

When the screen goes black as the crew falls over Worlds End, the ghostly music and voices heard are directly from the Disneyland ride. Most noticeable is Paul Frees voice of the skull and crossbones that infamously warns the passengers “Dead men tell no tale”

The scenes in Davy Jones’ locker were shot in Utah, and a monochromatic style was used to represent its antithesis from the usual colorful environment of a pirate.

The climatic sea battle was shot in an air hanger at Palmdale, California where the cast had to wear wetsuits underneath their costumes on the angle-tipped ships. The water drenched set was kept in freezing temperatures to prevent bacterial infection.

The cast and crew filmed off of the coast of souther Ca around the last week of August 2006. The black pearl could be seen calling to and from port from eh Palos Verdes Estates and Redondo.

Calypso is cited by Davy Jones in this film to be a heathen got, which brings the saga full circle as in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) Captain Barbossa mentioned heathen gods.

Tia Dalma says “poor unfortunate souls”; Ursula the sea witch sang the same thing in another Disney film, The Little Mermaid (1989). The Flotsam and Jetsam at Shipwreck City may also be an in-joke to Ursula’s minions.